Este estudo aborda diversos aspectos sobre a Eimeriose, uma doença parasitária disseminada, economicamente relevante e, em alguns aspectos, desafiadora. A eimeriose é causada por protozoários coccídios do gênero Eimeria, podendo se manifestar de maneira clínica ou subclínica. Cordeiros e bezerros são mais suscetíveis, especialmente em condições estressantes, sendo infectados por diferentes espécies do parasito. Nos ovinos, sabe-se que Eimeriacrandallis e Eimeriaovinoidalis são as mais patogênicas, causando subdesenvolvimento de cordeiros, desidratação, anorexia e morte. EimeriazuerniieEimeria bovis, estão associadas à ocorrência de diarreia aquosa e/ou hemorrágica, perda de peso e anorexia em bezerros. O diagnóstico deve incluir os dados clínicos, exames coproparasitológicos, necropsia e avaliação epidemiológica da propriedade. Higienização das instalações, nutrição adequada e uso de drogas anticoccidianas são os principais métodos de profilaxia e controle frente ao parasito.
Parasitic infections are common in sheep farming worldwide. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors among gastrointestinal parasites and sheep herds from the Brazilian Pampa biome, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Twenty-one farms were visited, where rectal faecal samples were individually collected from 309 animals. The sheep industry on the studied farms was characterised by small farms with a low level of technification, an extensive grazing system and meat production. Of all samples analysed, strongyle nematodes had the highest prevalence (77.02%), followed by
Eimeria
spp. (70.55%),
Moniezia expansa
(20.39%) and
Strongyloides papillosus
(17.48%). Mixed infection, between helminths and protozoans, was detected in 68.61% of samples. All herds were positive for strongyle and
Eimeria
spp. A predominance of
Haemonchus
spp. and
Trichostrongylus
spp. nematodes was observed in the herds. Younger animals were significantly more affected by
Eimeria
and
M. expansa
. In the semi-intensive and intensive systems, a higher frequency of
Eimeria
and strongyle infections was observed. Parasite infection was significantly reduced at low animal densities. The Brazilian Pampa region presents a high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites among sheep; age, breeding system and stocking density were factors associated with parasite infection.
Eimeria infections are common in sheep industry worldwide, however information about their epidemiology is scarce in southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence, species characterization, and associated risk factors between Eimeria species and sheep flocks. Fecal samples from 428 sheep from 21 farms were tested for the presence of oocysts. The overall prevalence of Eimeria spp. was 68.69% and was significantly affected by age of the sheep, with highest prevalence in animals under 18 months of age. Eight Eimeria species were identified. Eimeria ovinoidalis (85.71%) was the most common, followed by Eimeria crandallis (80.95%), Eimeria granulosa (78.95%), Eimeria ahsata (61.90%), Eimeria faurei (42.86%), Eimeria bakuensis (38.10%), Eimeria punctata (14.29%), and Eimeria pallida (9.52%). All herds were positive, with concomitant infections. Among management and husbandry practices; farm size, animal density, farming system, breeding objectives, and pasture system influenced the prevalence of Eimeria species. The infection was more prevalent on small farms with high animal density, in sheep raised for meat, semi-intensive system, and rotational grazing (p < 0.05). The wide distribution of this protozoan and the high frequency of pathogenic species show the importance and potential damage of coccidiosis in sheep flocks in Rio Grande do Sul.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.